Lock



2 1927* E. M. BENHAM- LOCK Filed Jan. 21. 1926;

Patented Get. 25, 1927.

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EDGAR I'd. EENHAM, GF ZIQIFLVJOQD, H1

SBIGNOE TO THE IVIGSLER LOCK COIVJIEAKNSZ',

LOCK.

Application filed January 21, 1926.

This invention relates to locks, and more particuiarly relates to lockswhich require the manipulation of two keys to unlock the same, and tolooks of the type which are customarily used in connection with safetydeposit boxes.

Safety deposit boxes are customarily provided with locks which requiretwo keys for unlocking the box. One of these keys is a guard key, heldpermanently by the custodian of the bank, and the other key is thecustomer's key, which is kept by another otlicial of the bank until acustomer engages the box, and then this key given to the customer. It isan advantage to ship the boxes from the factory to the bank in lockedcondition and to keep the boxes locked pending engagement by a customer.To accomplish this, the boxes are locked at the factory. lVhen it isdesired to exhibit a box to a customer, it has been necessary for thecustodian to procure from another bank ofiicial. the particularcustomers key for the box. Only in this way has it been possible for thecustodian to exhibit the interior of the box to the customer. If the boxis engaged, the custodian then turns over the customers key to thecustomer. There is a possibility of a dishonest custodian takinganNDPIQSSIOD. of the customers key While it is thus in his possession,and. thereafter, by having a duplicate key made from this imyn'csr'iion,to provide himself with means for effecting unlawful entry into the box.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a lock for safetydeposit boxes, or the like, which is designed to be operated by both aguard key and a customers key, but does not require the custodian of theguard key to have possession of the customcrs key to lock and unlock thebox before the customers key hr been applied thereto, and thus to keepthe customers key out of the hands of such custodian. and to permit thiskey to be sealed at the factory and not to be unsealed by anyone exceptthe customer who engages the particular box. A further object of thisinvention is to provide a lock of the character described, which may belocked at the factory and may be maintained locked pending leasingthereof, and may be opened by the custodian for inspection until it hasbeen engaged and the customers key used thereon, and thereafter beingunopenable except by use of the customers key in Serial Ho. 82,689.

connection with the guard key. Another object of my invention is toprovide a lock of the character described, which is simple inconstruction and in operation, and is eliicient and durable. it furtherobject of my invention is to provide means on the lock for indi catingthe particular customers key suited to the lock. Other objects of myinvention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

in accordance with my invention, the lock comprises a bolt bar, which isdominated by a set of guard tumblers and. another set of mastertumblers. When the lock is first mounted on the box, it is provided withmeans which stops locking movement oi? the bolt liiefore it has moved.suiiiciently :lar to allow the master tumblers to move out of alignment.in this condition, the lock may be locked and unlocked by manipulatingthe guard key and a dunnnykey, which merely engages the bolt operatingcam. This permute the lock to be locked for shipment and to be lockedand unlocked pending the leasing of the box to a customer. The customerskey, suited to each box, is preferably sealed at the factory in aseparate envelope, and these sealed keys are kept by an otlicial of thebank until the box is leased by a customer. This customer is then giventhe sealed key suited to the be which he has engaged. 'ihereupon thecustodian releases the bolt of the lock for full movement into lockingposition. which movement may b accomplished either by means of thdcu:todians duuuny key or by the customers key. In either when the bolt hasbeen moved into full locked position. the master tuml ilcrs move out ofalignment, thus dogging the bolt and preventing the opening of the lookby the dummy kcy possessed by the custodian. The customer, however, mayunlock the box, so long as the guard tumblers are aligned by the guardkey. The lock is arranged in the usual way, preventing the customer fromwithdrawing his key While the box is unlocked. The underside of the boltbar may be provided with a designating numeral or mark, which will beexposed when the bolt is projected partially by means of the dummy key,and the envelopes containing the customers keys may be givencorresponding marks or numerals, to indicate which envelope contains thecustomers kev suited for that particular box. Thus, wheii a box isengaged, the custodian projects the bolt partially forward by means ofhis dummy key, while the'door is open, and thus ascertains which sealedkey is to be given to the customer. V

In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had,attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this application and illustrating certain possible embodimentsof my invention.

Referring to the drawings, Fig.1 is a top view of the lock partiallylocked and with the cover plate partially broken away, certain of theparts being shown in dotted lines, to more clearly bring'out theconstruction; Fig. 2 is a top view of the lock completely locked,certain of the parts being indicated in dotted lines to show theirlocation; Fig. 3 is a back viewof the lock partially locked; Fig. 4 is aplan view of the bolt bar, a fragment of the front plate, and the boltoperating cam; 5 is a side view of the guard key; Fig. 6 is a side viewof the custodians dummy key; Fig. 7 is a side View of the customers key;and Fig. Sis a diagrammatical representation of the customers key (indotted lines) sealed in an envelope. Similar reference characters refertosim-ilarparts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the lock comprises a suitable box or casing1, having a cover plate 2, and enclosing a bolt bar 3,

" having a bolt portion l which reciprocates through a suitableperforation in the front wall 5 of the casing. /Vithin the casing is aseries of pivoted guard tumblers 6 and a series of pivotedmastertumblers 7, which coact, respectively, with lugs 8 and 9 of the boltbar. Guard tumblers 6 are adapted to be actuated by a guard key 10operating in key tube 11, and master tumblers 7 are adapted to beactuated by a customers key 12 operating" in key tube 13. A bolt baroperating cam 14- is connected with the key post 15 inkey tube 13. Adummy key 16 is provided for operation in key tube 13 to actuate cam 14but not the master tumblers 7.

The rear wall 17 of the lock is provided with a slot 18 therethrough,and a screw 19 threadably engages the bolt bar and has its headpositioned in this slot. The slot and screw cooperate to prevent thebolt bar from being moved sufficiently far forward to take the lug 9 outof engagement with the master tumblers Z in other words, to

prevent the master tumblers 7 from moving out of alignment, butpermitting the bolt bar 3 to move sufiiciently to lock and unlock a box,or the like, on which the lock is mounted. The numeral 20 indicates thethreaded hole in the bolt bar 3 for the screw 19.

Preferably, the rear face of the bolt at its forward edge is marked witha designating mark or number, as at 21. The customers key suited to thebox is preferably sealed in an envelope 22 at the factory, and theenvelope marked with a corresponding mark or number, as at 23.

At the factory, the lock is mounted'on the safety deposit box, and ispartially locked by means of dummy key 16, or otherwise, forv shipment.The customers key suited to the box is sealed in the envelope at thefactory, and the box and keys are shipped to the bank. ll/ hen the boxhas been installed in the bank, the box may be .-.--f

opened for inspection by means of the guard key 10 and dummy key 16, solong as the screw 19 remains in place. 'lVhen a custoiner engagesthebox, he is handed the sealed envelope 22 containing the key for thebox. The screw 19 is then removed, thus permitting the lock to be fullylocked, either by the dummy key or the customers key. The consequentmovement of the bolt bar will cause themaster tumblers T to move out ofalignment, thus positively preventing the opening of the box thereafterby means of the dummy key. Thus, the customers key need never beunsealed from'the time it leaves the factory until it is placed into thecustomers possession, and the custodian or no other bank ofiiclal orperson has access to this key and no opportunity to have the keyduplicated for dishonest or other purposes. It will be evident that thecustodian 'will gain nothing by removing the screw 19 before the box isleased;

As many changes could be made in the above construction and as manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout'departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is 1. In a lock of the character described, in combination,a casing, a bolt bar slidable within the casing, and removable meanscarried on the bolt bar, preventing the bolt bar from traveling its fullstroke in looking direction.

2. In a lock of the character described, in combination, a casing, abolt bar slidable within the casing, and means engaging the bolt bar andcasing, preventing the bolt bar 'from'traveling its full stroke inlooking direction, said means including a screwpenetrating a slot insaid casing and engaged with the bolt bar.

8. Tn a lock of the character described, in combination, a casing, abolt bar slidable within the casing, and means engaging the bolt bar andeasing, preventing the bolt bar from traveling its full stroke inlocking dircction, said means including a screw penetrating a slot insaid casing and engaged with the bolt bar, said screw being accessiblefor removal from the rear face of the lock to release the bolt bar for afull stroke in locking direction.

at. In a lock of the character described. in combination, a casing, abolt bar slidable in the casing, master tumblers within the casing, alug on the bolt bar coacting with said tumblers, said bolt bar and lugbeing movable a slight distance relatively to said tumblers fromunlocked position without causing saidtumblers to become out ofalignment, and removable means for limiting mo vement oi? said bolt barand lug in said casing to movement which will not cause said tumblers tobecome out of alignment.

5. In a lock of the character described, in combination, a casing, abolt bar slidable in the casing, master tumblers within the cas- .ing, alug on the bolt bar coacting with said tun'iblers, said bolt bar and lugbeing movable a slight distance relatively to said tumblers fromunlocked position without causing said tumblers to become out ofalignment, and removable means for limiting movement of said bolt barand lug in said resing to movement which will not cause said tumblers tobecome out of alignment, said means engaging said casing and bolt barand being removable to permit sullicient movement 05 the bolt bar torelease said tumblers.

6. In a locl: of the character described, in (.Ollll'fl'llllllllOll, acasing, a bolt bar slidable in the casing, master tumblers within thecas a lug on the bolt bar coacting with said tumblers, said bolt bar andlug being mov' able a slight distance relatively to said tum- -i fromunlocked position without causing said tumblers to become out ofalignment, and removable means for limiting movement of said bolt barand lug in said casing to movement which will not cause said tumblers tobecome out of alignment, the construction permitting such restrictedreciprocation of the bolt bar to be elfected by means of a dummy key.

7. In a loci: of the character described, in combination, a casing, abolt bar slidable in the casing, master tumblers within the cas ing, :1lug on the bolt bar coacting With said tumblers, said bolt bar and lugbeing movable a slight distance relatively to said tumblers fromunlocked position without causing said tumblers to become out ofalignment, removable means for limiting movement of said bolt bar andlug in said casing to movement which will not cause said tumblers tobecome out of alignment, a dummy key for effecting such restrictedreciprocatic-on of the bolt bar, and guard tumblers in said casingcoacting with said bolt bar governing said movement of the bolt inunlockin direction.

8. In a lock of the character described, a casing, a bolt bar slidablewithin the casing, master tumblers coacting with the bolt bar, pi' ardtumblers coacting with the bolt bar, said guard tumblers being releasedbefore said master tumblers are released uponforthe bolt bar, and meansward movement or for stopping forward movement of the bolt bar after theguard tumblers have been released by such movement and before the mastertumblers have been released.

9. In a lock of the character described, a. casing, a bolt bar slidablewithin the cang, master tunjiblcrs coacting with the bolt bar, ardtumlilers coacting with the bolt her, said guard tumblers being r l usedbefore said master tumblers are 1-51.. l upon forward movement of thebolt bar, and means stopping forward movement of the bolt 1r after theguard tumblers have been. re-

so by such movement and before the ter tumblers have been released, saidmeans being removable to permit further forward movement of the bolt barand the release of the master tumblers.

10. In a lock of the character described, a casing, a bolt bar slidablewithin the casing, master tumblers coacting with the bolt bar, guardtumblers coacting with the bolt bar, said guard tumblers being releasedbefore said master tumblers are released upon for ward movement of thebolt bar and means for stopping forward movement of the bolt bar afterthe guard tumblers have been released by such movement and before themaster tumblers have been released, said restricted forward movement 01the bolt bar being sutlicient to place the lock in partial lockedcondition.

11 111 a lock of the character described, in combination, a casing, abolt bar slidable in the casing, and an identifying mark on the rearface of the bolt bar adjacent its outer end, said mark being concealedwithin the casing when the bolt bar is fullv retracted and being exposedoutside of the casing when the bolt bar is projected.

12. In a lock of the character described, in combination, a casing, abolt bar slidable in the casing, tumblers in the casing coacting withthe bolt bar and permitting the par tial reciprocation of the bolt barby means or" a key which does not coact with said tumblers and removablemeans for restricting themovement of said bolt bar to said partialreciprocation.

13. In a lock of the character described, in combination, a casing, abolt bar slidable in the casing tumblers in the casing coacting with thebolt bar and permitting the partial reciprocation of the bolt bar bymeans of a key which does not coact with said tumblers and removablemeans for restricting the l in movement o'f said'bolt bar to saidpartial the casing, master-tumblers having slots, a 25 reciprocation,the construction permitting the unlocking of the look by means of acustomerskey after said stopmeans have been removed and the lock hasbeen completely locked.

14. In a lock oi the character described,- in combination, a casing, abolt barslidable in the casing, master tumblers having slots a lug onthe bolt bar engaging in the slots and movable to a certain extenttherein Without releasing the tumblers, stop means coacting with thecasing and bolt bar restricting movement of said bolt bar to movementwhich does not remove said lug from the tumbler slots, the lock beingadapted to be partially locked and unlocked by meansof a dummy key, andbeing adapted, when said stop means have been removed to be com-'pletely locked and unlocked by means of a lug on the bolt bar-engagingin the slots and movable to a certain extent thereln Without blers,guard tumblers within the casing another lug on the bolt bar coactingwith said 'Lia-i'(l tumblers; said lug releasing said guard of a guard:key.

This specification signedthis 18 day of January, 1926.

EDGAR M. BENHAM.

